While I typically shy away from cliques, this particular one
often feels like it perfectly describes working in an NGO. It is an experience
that is full of frustrating conflicts that I as a temporary “intern” often do
not have the authority or ability to resolve. We frequently experience poor
organization, lack of distinct authority figures, ineffective bureaucracy, and
insufficient funds, but this is rarely the direct result of those who work for
the NGO. For the most part, those who work at NGOs do so because they care and
want to do the job to which they have been assigned. Unfortunately, the true
rock and hard place come from a vicious cycle that is engrained in the nature
of small to middle sized NGOs. While it is often difficult to discern what
comes first, the cycle consists of lack of funding, ineffective proceedings,
and disorganized leadership. This becomes a whirlpool of conflicts that leave
NGOs scrambling to stay afloat and provide services it has promised in its
contract. UNIDAD has recently experienced this problem as it struggles to renew
its government funding. As is the case with several governmental processes, the
government has made UNIDAD jump through hoops to earn its funding allowance.
This has negative impacts in ways people who are not intimately associated with
the organization would not understand. For example, as part of its contract for
funding for the past two years, UNIDAD has had to recruit members for its youth
program from populations of high school students who are either from low income
families, failing classes in school, or part of a foster program. This has
dragged the leadership institute away from its initial purpose, which was to
provide a program in which children from all sectors of life—wealthy, poor,
disadvantaged or privileged could come together and learn from one another.
Furthermore with a room full of fifty students in situations that make them prone
to disciplinary problems, the likelihood of students who don’t actually care to
learn souring the experience for others increases.
Besides the
lack of funding that affects the very nature of the program, this dearth also
means that UNIDAD suffers from a lack of funding to streamline its
administrative processes. There are hundreds of paper forms that participants
have to fill, out sign, and keep track of—a process that would be simplified if
done electronically. Unfortunately this is where the vicious cycle comes back
to weaken the organization because there are no funds to provide electronics.
These problems would exist even if we Duke students were not there, but after
our arrival, I have noticed another unfortunate cog in this vicious cycle that
has become glaringly clear.
Fortunately
in the world today, there is a large cohort of young, eager volunteers, such as
Duke Engagers who want to help NGOs that are floundering and desperately need
help due to their lack of funding. Unfortunately, once young volunteers, drawn
to poorer organizations, reach the sites at which we work, we realize that the
NGOs often do not know how best to utilize us eager helpers. What’s more is
that the organizations are often desperately trying to stay afloat and do not
have time to figure out how volunteers fit into the picture. We DukeEngagers felt
the effects of this part of the vicious cycle the first week we worked with
UNIDAD. When we arrived, our site coordinator was told that “we were going to
be filling a great need,” but when we spent a majority of our first week
passing out papers, administering tests, and keeping students awake, we were
initially disenchanted by the role we were given. However, I have been greatly
impressed by the persistence of my fellow Duke students; we felt we could help
more than we had this first week, and so found a solution. After our last
reflection session last Sunday, we came up with suggestions and frustrations we
wanted to bring to the program director, and we nervously came in early Monday
morning to express these thoughts. To our great pleasure and surprise, the
program director felt exactly the same and helped us turn some of our
suggestions into action. As soon as that Monday morning session broke, I felt a
change. The other Duke students and I were given opportunities to have breakout
sessions with the institute participants and interact with them. We were given
more leadership roles and were trusted with important decisions, and soon the
week flew by in a busy whirl. I started the week disenchanted and worried that
I was not filling a need, and I ended it exhausted but having learned a great
deal from my experiences. I knew every name of every student in the program (no
small task as their names were often long and hard to pronounce). I became a
trusted confidant to some, a support to others, and a leader to look up to for
others. I felt like the students started to want me around rather than just
tolerated having me there; I felt like they respected me. And I respect them. I
really respect them.
Today we had a reflection session
in which our site coordinator Miguel asked us Duke students to picture a day in
the life of these kids in the institute, and as Amrith expressed, this task is
almost impossible. None of us know what it’s like to scramble for food every
day or to come from a truly broken home. Our mothers were not thirteen when
they had us, and we have good homes to which we will return; some of the kids
in the UNIDAD program have this as well, but many do not. And we will probably
only scrap the surface of knowing the hardships these kids experience on a
daily basis. So yes, the vicious cycle of NGOs is frustrating at times, but I
am grateful that I have been thrown into its chaos. I have learned from these
kids and have been given a full exposure to a group of kids with which I never
would have interacted. While in a different form than its director initially
envisioned, the UNIDAD leadership institute has almost reverted back to its
former mission. It has brought us privileged Duke students to many disadvantaged high school students, and we have taught and
learned from each other. I don’t know if
the students would say the same, but I know at least parts of these past two
weeks will stay with me for a long time.
-Meghan
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